Parenting Expert Sarah Ockwell-Smith Recommends Lumie Bedbug

Most people know now that blue light is best avoided at bedtime because its alerting effect can make it difficult to fall asleep. So when we were designing Bedbug, a sleep aid for children, it made sense to keep blue light out of their bedroom.

Bedbug is unique in using low-blue LED technology in a light for babies and children. In addition, it also features a fading sunset and a nightlight, to provide bedside lighting that's totally optimised for sleep.

The idea for Bedbug was supported from the start by Sarah Ockwell-Smith, parenting expert and author of best-seller 'The Gentle Sleep Book'. Sarah is all for simple, natural ways to improve the sleep of babies and toddlers (and their parents!) and she was keen to be involved in the development of more suitable bedtime lighting.

Many parents don’t realise that lighting is a key influence on sleep. Light that is on the blue colour spectrum inhibits the hormone of sleep, melatonin, and tricks the body into thinking it is daytime and thus time to be awake. Most white light is actually very blue, especially energy-saving lightbulbs and halogen spotlights. So too is light that looks green, blue, purple and pink. Which coincidentally tend to be the colours used in most child night lights. Research has shown that for light to be non-inhibiting it needs to contain very low levels of blue light. Sarah Ockwell-Smith, Parenting Expert and Author of best-seller 'The Gentle Sleep Book'.

Bedbug has fully adjustable, warm, white light that’s perfect for the start of the bedtime routine; bright enough for changing and stories whilst creating a calm, non-stimulating environment that will help your child to fall asleep.

When it’s time for them to settle down, the fading light and realistic sunset colours allow a gentle transition to nighttime and further promote the natural sleep response.

Finally, an optional nightlight provides a reassuring glow when your child stirs. Once again, the orange LEDs are non-alerting to provide nighttime illumination without triggering wakefulness - helping you both slip easily back to sleep.

Bedbug has a growing collection of awards and Sarah is pleased to recommend it for babies, toddlers and older children adding "The cuteness of the little bug is a further winning feature, along with its sleep promoting properties."

Sleep tips for kids from Sarah Ockwell-Smith